Method of making moccasins



y 1968 .1. P. HARRIS 3,383,724

METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASINS Filed March 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 MIME/VTQQ Ja/lh 7 14,4 Eve/5 y 1968 J. P. HARRIS 3,383,724

METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASINS Filed March 10, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Oflice 3,383,724 METHOD OF MAKING MOCCASINS John P. Harris, Park Lane, Northamptonshire, Wellingborough, England Filed Mar. 10, 1966, Ser. No. 533,197 2 Claims. (Cl. 12142) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is concerned with a moccasin type shoe which comprises basically a foundation piece and an outer sole without a middle sole, the method of making the shoe including the steps of first attaching the welt strip around the perimeter of the sole area on thefoundation piece by means of stitching while the foundation piece is flat, and then placing the welted foundation piece on a last and attaching thereto the sole by an adhesive connection to locate the sole on the foundation piece so that it may be located while the sole is stitched to the welt strip.

This invention relates to shoes as worn by human beings, and in particular to a type of shoe which is provided with a flexible sole, and may or may not be heeled, and commonly known as a moccasin.

The object of the present invention is to provide a moccasin type of shoe by a simple and economic method which results in the provision of a substantial but flexible sole strongly attached to the upper by a welt.

The method of making a moccasin according to the invention employs a flat foundation piece consisting of any suitable moccasin upper-shape extending from a centre-sole-shape and made of leather or other flexible sheet material in one piece, and the step of first stitching (preferably lock-stitching) to the foundation piece while flat a separate sole fixing flange-U-shaped in plan so that the bite of U is located adjacent to the toe of the said sole-shape and the legs of the U extend rearwardly to the heel portion of said upper shape, said flange having along its length a flexible flap forming a welt portion, and the further steps of (i) placing the foundation piece with the welt already attached onto a last and forming the upper shape to the last, (ii) applying to the foundation piece while on the last an outer sole piece in contiguous face to face relation with said sole shape of the foundation piece and (iii) stitching, preferably lock stitching, the edge of the applied sole to said welt portion without removing .the upper from the last so that the shoe can remain on the last until completely finished.

In the use of the method according to the invention, there is achieved a true moccasin type of footwear without a middle sole and whereof the upper may be of any suitable design while at the same time there is inherent in the construction considerable flexibility and assured shape retention due primarily to the pre-positioning and stitching of the welt to the upper on the flat before lasting. As a result, the upper can be retained on the last throughout the process of lasting, making and finishing thereby producing what has not hitherto been possible, viz. a welted moccasin with a true last shape, fit and exceptional flexibility and strength.

In the application of the foundation piece to the outer sole-piece, the sole-piece may be located in position on the welt flange by adhesive so that the stitching operation may be facilitated.

The upper-shape of the foundation piece may have at the heel end a longitudinal slot for accommodating a shank piece, which may be a strip of wood or metal slightly bowed longitudinally. In the completed shoe the 3,383,724 Patented May 21, 1968 shank piece may be covered by a slip insole piece and it gives rigidity to the heel and waist of the shoe.

It is a feature of the invention that the welt flange is attached to the foundation piece by a lockstitch which ensures the assembly is retained firmly and securely in position even if one of the stitches breaks. Further it will be observed that in the process of assembling the welt flange to the foundation piece that it is in fact sewn by the lockstitching flat on to the foundation, and that when the shoe is being made up the pre-welted foundation piece is placed upon a last and the upper shape is bent up and has the apron attached thereto by thonging or other suitable stitching, the sole being attached face to face to the foundation piece, preferably or conveniently first by adhesive to locate it in position on the welt flange and then by a lockstitching line around the whole welt flange, giving a secure attachment of the flexible sole to the welt and thus to the upper. By this arrangement there is retained the essential feature of a moccasin which is flexibility, and at the same time considerable strength of securement between the various parts is achieved.

In order that the invention may be readily understood a typical example thereof will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is an underneath plan view of the foundation piece.

FIGURE 2 is a section across the toe of the foundation piece on the line IIII of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a pictorial view of a moccasin made up with the foundation piece of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an edge view of the toe part of FIGURE 3 and to a larger scale.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view from the top to show the shank piece support in the moccasin, and

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal cross section of the shoe shown in FIGURE 3, and shows particularly the construction of the shank piece and the way it is covered 'by a slip insole.

With reference to FIGURE 1 in particular, it will be seen that the shoe of FIGURE 3 is made up from a foundation piece 1 made of flexible leather or other suitable material such as plastic sheeting. This foundation piece has a sole shape 2 and extending laterally therefrom upper-shaped wings 3 including a rounded toe portion 4 passing round the toe area of the sole shape 2, this toe portion 4 extending into a widened area to provide side wings 5 which are, in the completed shoe, brought up to extend about the instep (see FIGURE 3). The side wings 5 are separated by a slot 6 along the centre line of the foundation piece, this slot being for accommodating the aforesaid shank piece as will be hereinafter described.

Extending around the perimeter of the sole shape 2 is a flexible welt flange 7, U-shape in plan with the bight 7w following the toe contour of the foundation piece 1 and the legs 7b running rearwards from the toe towards the heel portion 30 of the upper. This welt flange is secured along its length on the foundation piece in face to face relation by a line of lockstitching 8 which leaves a flexible flap portion or welt 9 by which a separate and substantial sole 10, flexible in character, may be attached to the pre-welted foundation piece 1 in the making of the shoe by another line of lockstitching 11, as will be seen from FIGURE 3 in particular. FIGURE 2, also shows this method of stitching, having the toe portion 4 of the foundation bent up as it would be in the making of the shoe.

By reference to the FIGURES 3-6, the method of using the pre-welted foundation piece for the making of the shoe will be appreciated. The separate sole 10 is applied flat to the sole shape 2 of the foundation while flat on the last, so that it lies face to face with the shape 2 and covering the welt flange 7, and it is then lock-stitched on to the flange 7 by the line of lock-stitches 8. A heel 12 may be stuck or suitably attached to the heel portion of the sole. The toe portion of the foundation part 4 is bent up over the last and by a separate front cover piece or apron 13, is secured in the usual manner by thonging 14 through holes 14a. The tail or heel pieces 3c of the upper wings 5 are bent around the shape of the last heel and secured together by a heel back plate piece 15 in the usual way. A shank strip which is slightly bowed and may be made of wood or metal 16 is laid in the slot portion 6 of the foundation 1, and is held in position by a slip insole piece 17 which is stuck to the inside of the sole shape 2 of the foundation piece. As will be evident from FIGURES 3 and 4, in the assembled shoe the sole shape 2 of the foundation and the separate sole 10 are closely juxtaposed, being held together by the lockstitching 11, and they may be further attached by a suitable adhesive contact between them at the centre if necessary or desirable.

I claim:

1. A method of making a moccasin type shoe which consists in the use of a flat foundation piece of flexible material having an upper portion extending from a central sole portion and wherein the following steps are employed:

(i) Stitching to the foundation piece while in the fiat position a separate sole fixing flange U-shaped in plan so that the bite of the U is located adjacent to the toe of said sole shape and the legs of the U extend rearwardly to the heel portion of said upper shape, said flange having along its length a flexible flap forming a welt portion, and

(ii) Making up the shoe by:

(a) Placing the foundation piece with the welt portion attached thereto on to a last and forming the upper to the last,

(b) Applying to the foundation piece while on the last an outer sole piece in contiguous face to face relation with said sole portion of the foundation piece, and locating the edge of said sole piece to the welt portion by an adhesive connection between said sole and said foundation piece and finally,

(c) Stitching the located edge of the sole to said welt portion without removing the upper from the last so that the shoe can remain on the last until completely finished.

2. In a method of making a moccasin type shoe comprising a foundation piece and an outer sole without a middle sole and wherein the sole is attached to the foundation piece by means of a welt strip, the steps during the making up of the shoe on a last of locating the sole in relation to the welt by an adhesive connection and then stitching the located sole around the edge of said welt.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,051 12/1946 Lee 36ll 2,420,466 5/1947 Cordeau l2--142 2,856,703 10/1958 McConnell 12142 X 3,262,141 7/1966 MacPherSon 12-l42 PATRICK D. LAWSON, Primary Examiner. 

